Sidewalk Film Festival facts for kids
| Location | Birmingham, Alabama, US |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1999 |
| Language | International |
| Website | http://www.sidewalkfest.com |
The Sidewalk Film Festival is an exciting yearly event for movie fans! It takes place in Birmingham, Alabama, usually during the last weekend of August. Since 1999, the festival has shown many different kinds of films.
Movies are screened at several cool places in downtown Birmingham. These include the historic Alabama Theatre, a large movie palace built in 1927, and screening rooms at the Alabama School of Fine Arts. The festival celebrates independent films, which are movies made outside of big Hollywood studios.
Over the years, Sidewalk has honored talented people in film. For example, actor John C. Reilly received the first Spirit of Sidewalk award in 2005.
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Discovering the Sidewalk Film Festival's Story
The Sidewalk Film Festival started in 1999. It was created by three founders: Kelli McCall Franklin, Wayne Franklin, and Erik Jambor. The first festival was called the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival. It happened in May and drew about 4,000 people!
The first festival used interesting places to show movies. These included the Alabama Theatre, an old bank building, and even outdoor screens and tents.
The festival has had a few leaders since it began. Erik Jambor, one of the founders, was the first executive director until 2006. Chloe Cook became the executive director in 2009.
How Sidewalk Helps Young Filmmakers
Sidewalk does more than just host a festival once a year. They have many programs that run all the time! These programs help people learn about movies and filmmaking.
One cool program is the youth board. Young people on this board create their own short film. They also get to judge movies made by other teens that are sent to the festival.
Another program is "Screentalks." This involves watching an independent film. After the movie, there's a discussion with a group of experts. The monthly "Salon" also lets local filmmakers share their knowledge.
In 2010, the Sidewalk Film Festival joined with another festival called SHOUT LGBTQ Film Festival. They now hold their events together.
Sidewalk became famous outside of Alabama when TIME Magazine listed it as one of the "Top 10 Film Festivals for the Rest of Us."
A Permanent Home for Movies
In 2017, the festival announced exciting news. They planned to open their own movie theater in Birmingham! This cinema is in the basement of the old Pizitz Building.
The Sidewalk Film Center + Cinema opened in August 2019. It has two theaters, each with 90 seats. There's also a classroom where people can learn about movies.
Awards and Recognitions
Filmmakers at Sidewalk can win awards! Some awards are chosen by a jury of experts. Other awards are chosen by the audience, who vote for their favorite films.
The festival has added and changed award categories over the years. There are also special awards given out every year. These include the Alan Hunter Best Alabama Film Award and the Clint Howard Character Actor Award. Another special award is the Kathryn Tucker Windham Storyteller Award.
